Amber Fort

The Moghuls apparently conquered India just to assure a steady supply of elephants to ride on.

there’s only one problem with riding an elephant. With a nose like that, they can aim it anywhere to sneeze – and apparently they are well aware where they are aiming…

Here’s the unloading point at the top…

It wouldn’t be India…

The inner audience hall for the Amber Palace was called the Sheesh Mahal or “Mirror Palace”, which was where foreign dignitaries and envoys were received by the Maharajah. The whole reception area is tiled with a mosaic of silvered mirrors. (Restoration work was going on). Try to imagine this room in the evening with the pinpoints of light coming from many candles and reflected glittering in the ceiling like thousands of stars…

The tiny mirrors were mostly convex to help reduce reflected light to pinpoints.

the inner-most courtyard is the harem, where each wife had a room facing onto the courtyard.